System, method and computer program product for texture address operations based on computations involving other textures

Abstract

A system, method and computer program product are provided for texture sampling in a graphics pipeline. Initially, texture information is retrieved using texture coordinates. Thereafter, the texture information is utilized to generate results. Next, the texture information and the results are utilized to generate further results. The foregoing operation may optionally be repeated, and the results outputted.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates generally to the field of image processing, and more particularly to an apparatus for combining texel images to generate graphics images.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONRecent advances in computer performance have enabled graphics systems to provide more realistic graphical images using personal computers and home video game computers. In such graphics systems, some procedure must be implemented to “render” or draw graphics primitives to the screen of the system. “Graphics primitives” are a basic component of a graphics picture, such as a polygon, e.g., a triangle, or a vector. All graphics pictures are formed with combinations of these graphic primitives. Many procedures may be utilized to perform graphics primitives rendering.Conventional graphics systems perform these graphics rendering procedures using a frame buffer. A frame buffer generally comprises a plurality of computer memory chips that store information concerning pixel acti...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent text describes a system, method, and computer program product for texture sampling in a graphics pipeline. The system uses texture information to generate results, which can then be used to modify the texture coordinates or generate additional results. The texture information can include filtered texture color information, diffuse output colors, fog output values, specular output colors, depth output values, texture color output values, a level of detail (LOD) value, a Z-slope value, interpolated per-vertex data, and / or interpolated vector coordinates. The system can also use offsets to fetch texels from selected texture maps and combine them to produce a final pixel value. The technical effects of this invention include improved texture sampling and processing in a graphics pipeline.

Problems solved by technology

Unfortunately, such pixel shading lacks flexibility.

In particular, pixel shading currently does not support the combination of textures, values, and constants, and then use the result as a pointer to access data in a subsequent texture.

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